


First Dates & Christmas Kisses

by ThatEsqCrush



Series: Christmas One True Pairing Challenge [3]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: F/M, First Dates, First Kiss, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:13:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25081438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatEsqCrush/pseuds/ThatEsqCrush
Summary: Prompt #6 (Nutcracker) from the @thefanficfaerie Christmas OTP challenge. A continuation from Candygram Wishes.
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Reader, Rafael Barba/You
Series: Christmas One True Pairing Challenge [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1816486
Kudos: 12





	First Dates & Christmas Kisses

You smashed the garlic on the cutting board, before scooping it into the pot, with some of the onion you had finely diced moments earlier. They hit the pan with a satisfying sizzle and you wiped your hands on the towel that hung off the oven handle. You turned to look at the recipe card given to you by Sonny, when your phone began to buzz and vibrate against the counter. You lowered the heat on your stove, lest the garlic begin to burn and you checked your phone. 

It was Rafael. 

You bit your lip and felt your heart quicken. After the impromptu Chinese dinner date that also served as a study session with him, you hadn’t seen Rafael since. Sure, you and he exchanged the occasional greeting, but nothing ever live. You worried you two were venturing into the friend zone, but like in the song, Señorita, friends don’t know how each other tastes - and you and Rafael spent a good part of that study session making out like teenagers. And at the same time, you knew from Sonny and Olivia that the Evie Barnes case was being reopened on appeal. Sonny was helping Rafael with the case in particular as he had knowledge from having been a detective on the matter. 

[Rafael, 6:45 PM]: I know it’s last minute, but are you free for dinner? 

Your eyes swept against your kitchen. Pasta was boiling and cans of crushed tomatoes beckoned to be opened. You then looked down at your own appearance: an over-sized shirt and leggings, feet in fuzzy slippers. You quickly typed your response, inviting him over to dinner at your apartment. You watched three bubbles appear, then disappear and reappear. Rafael agreed and said he’d be there soon. You knew Rafael lived downtown - even if he took a car to your place in midtown, you had at least thirty minutes to change.

[Y/N, 6:48 PM]: See you then. Can’t wait. 

***

You left your hair up, and changed into dark denim and a muted grey cashmere sweater, which you had been gifted just Christmas prior. A dab of concealer, a swipe of gloss and a few strokes of mascara and you were ready. The pasta had finished cooking and the sauce was simmering. You opened up a bottle of the 2013 Borolo Mosconi Vigna Ped and set it out to breathe. 

And you waited. 

An hour later, with no Rafael in sight, and him unresponsive to your follow-up text, you wondered if you had misread the situation entirely. You sniffed the bottle of Borolo - it had opened up beautifully. You debated drinking it straight from the bottle, but decided against it and grabbed a stemless wine glass from your cabinet. You sat on the couch with the glass of wine. The silence was nearly deafening. You decided you would have a glass, or two, and then put the food away. 

You debated texting Sonny to see if he had heard or seen Rafael, but also decided against it. Part of you did worry if Rafael was even okay. You were mid-way from pouring a third glass when your phone buzzed. 

[Rafael, 8:15 PM]: I am on my way up - I will explain. I am sorry. 

Sighing, you got up to unlock your door and you leaned against the door-frame, waiting once more. You heard the elevator ding from down the hall, and you knew that was him. Sure enough, the handsome prosecutor appeared in your hallway, a worn look decorated his face.

“I am so sorry,” Rafael apologized, his ears flushing pink. “I went home to change and got an alert that there was an accident on the West Side Highway, so I decided to take the 4 when we got stuck in a tunnel. I had no service.”

You immediately felt sympathetic. “That is just awful. I have been there. But you’re here now, and that is what counts.”

Rafael nodded, his eyes raking in your form. His eyes landed on the exposed slope of your neck, and he recalled how he peppered it with kisses, and how receptive you were. “You look lovely,” he managed to choke out as he tried to gather himself. 

“Thank you. You look quite debonair yourself,” you replied with a wink. You opened the door further, to let him walk past. “Wine?”

“Please,” Rafael replied. You moved to walk past him, when Rafael grabbed your hand, stopping you. You gave him a quizzical look when he pulled you close to him. An “oh” had barely left your lips, when Rafael dipped his mouth to yours. The kiss was initially chaste, before it inevitably became open mouthed. Rafael’s tongue swept your bottom lip, seeking entrance to which you did not deny. Rafael tasted like mint and cinnamon, his cologne overwhelmed your olfactory senses. The combination plus his firm grip on your hips was sending you into overdrive, making you lightheaded. The two glasses of wine on an empty stomach were also not helping. 

Rafael broke the kiss but you kept your hands on his forearms in an attempt to steady yourself. You stared into each other’s eyes - his green eyes were bright and enchanting; you thought you could get lost in them forever. Your eyes managed to catch a hint of pink that was his tongue when he licked his lips and you felt a fire pool in your belly. A stray tendril of hair fell across your face, and Rafael gently tucked it behind your ear. 

“I will get the wine,” you managed to squeak out, while trying to remain composed.

Rafael followed you into the kitchen, and took in the sight of food you had made.

He cursed inwardly. “I ruined dinner,” he noted, an apologetic lilt in his voice.

You shrugged while cringing. “Technically…the pasta is cold. I can reheat but it’s never the same.” You handed him the glass and he sniffed it, inhaling the tannins before taking a large gulp.

“No,” Rafael replied, after swallowing. “I want to make it up to you. I’ll help you clean up and we’ll go out. I will make a call.”

“Don’t tell Sonny we didn’t eat what I made. He had given me this recipe and if he finds out I wasted pasta, he will have me arrested and arraigned,” you replied to which Rafael guffawed in response.

***

You and Rafael were generously accommodated at La Grenouille, an intimate French restaurant. You both skipped over main courses, focusing on appetizers of black olive palmitos, pike dumplings, and cold canapés and then dessert, where you shared dark chocolate mousse with a raspberry coulis. More wine was had. You weren’t completely buzzed, but you were relaxed. You complained about your studying and shared your continued anxiety. Rafael shared what he could about the Barnes case. Other first date exchanges were had: you told him about changing careers, he told you about going up in the Bronx. You both had a mutual affinity for jazz and blues music.

After, you and Rafael walked hand-in-hand through Rockefeller Center. Despite the lateness of the evening, the city was still very much alive and busy. There was still a crowd by the Rockefeller Christmas tree. The railing around the rink was flanked by nutcrackers, that we’re at least 12 feet tall. Each one was a different color - blues, gold, red and green. You imagined the nutcrackers were protecting the tree and the tourists alike. You stopped to look over the railing to watch people skate. Rafael stood behind you, and enveloped his arms around you. You leaned into his embrace, your back to his chest. The December wind was icy, and it sent a shiver up your spine. All it served was to have Rafael bring you closer to him.

“Tonight was lovely,” you murmured. Rafael hummed his agreement, while nuzzling your neck. “We should do it again.” You turned slightly to face him, but Rafael shifted you, so you faced him head on.

“I couldn’t agree more,” he murmured, his eyes searching yours once more. Rocking onto the balls of your feet, you leaned up and with one gloved hand on the back of his neck, you pulled Rafael into a kiss. Breathlessly, you broke the kiss and looked around. You gasped and smiled at what was fluttering around you. “It’s snowing.”

Rafael looked up - snowflakes coated his long lashes - before he looked back at you.

“Come on,” you grabbed Rafael’s hand, leading him away.

“Where are we going?” Rafael questioned, his brows furrowed.

“Back to my place. We may not have had dinner there, but you can bet I’ll be making you breakfast.”

FIN.


End file.
